Flower-carrier



(No Model.)

0- H. LEEDY.

, FLOWER CARRIER.

N0. 603,649. Patented May 10, 1898.

n: )mmus PETERS coy, PHOTO-LITHOJ. wAsmucn'on n a UNITED STATES f PATENT OFFICE.

CARRIE H. LEEDY, KEUKA, FLORIDA.

FLOWER-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,649, dated May 10, 1898.

Application filed May 28, 1897. Serial No. 638,649. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, CARRIE H. LEEDY, residing at Keuka, in the county of Putnam and State of Florida, have invented anew and Improved Flower-Oarrier,of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improved flower-carrier, more especially adapted for use for transmission by mail or express, and has for its object to provide a carrier for this purpose of a very simple and economical construction which will serve to hold out flowers immersed in a suitable vessel containing water or other liquid for keeping the flowers fresh.

My invention also has for its object to provide a carrier having means for holding the flowers and the vessel having liquid for keeping them fresh during transmission in a practically-fixed position within the box, so that the vessel will not become broken or the flowers mashed in transit.

The invention consists in a flower-carrier embodying the peculiar construction and novel arrangement of parts, such as will be hereinafter first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates my carrier as it appears ready for mailing. Fig. 2 is a top view of the carrier with the cover or lid removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the neck end of the bottle or vessel, illustrating more clearly the parafifiin stopper for holding the stems and sealing the bottle. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the bottle-holders. Fig. 6 illustrates the bottle-holders arranged to support a series of bottles.

' Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts in all the figures, 1 indicates a box of suitable dimensions, which may be made of wood or other light but tough material, and 2 a removable lid which may be in the nature of the ordinary slide-lid and in the practical construction of my invention may be held to its closed position by a suitable catch, (not shown,) so as to admit free access to the interior of the box, or it may be secured by a brad when carried by express.

The carrier proper comprises a bottle or other vessel having its neck terminatingin the usual flange, which bottle or vessel may be of any desired shape. In the practical application of my invention the bottle is filled with water or other cold liquid, which will serve to keep the flowers fresh, to a point near its neck. The stems of the flowers are then inserted and held secure by a paraffin seal or stopper, such stopper beingformed by pouring the paraffin when melted into the neck and about the flower-stems, it being manifest that when cool it forms an air-tight seal for a bottle and keeps the water from evaporating and at the same time forms a rigid support for the flower-stems 8 without squeezing or unduly pressing them.. After the flowers have been thus fitted in the bottle such bottle and flowers are laid within the box 1 and held from sidewise movement by means of a pair of holders 8 8, the ends of which slide and are held in grooves 3 in the sides 1 of the box, which grooves are in line with the base of the neck of the bottle, thus preventing a lengthwise movement, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Both holders have semicircular or seat portions to snugly fit the neck of the bottle, and in, practice one of the holders 8 is first inserted into the box and forms the bottom bearing for the neck, after which the bottle is placed in position and the other holder 8 inserted into the same groove 3, forming a practically solid and immovable frame. Said holders are made to fit the box, and when the lid 2 is slid in place are very secure.

So far as described it will be readily seen that by providing the bottle with a paraffin or analogous stopper means are provided for preventing the quick evaporation of the water and also for conveniently holding the stems without danger of crushing them. Furthermore, by using paraffin in the manner stated a stopper for the bottle and a support for the stems is quickly produced, it being manifest that by simply running a knife at the edge of the stopper the same can be quickly removed from the bottle-neck with the flowers. By providing the guards or holders 8 and 8 the bottle,with the flowers,will be held in a uniform position within the box during shipment.

Instead of providing the holders with but a single concavity or depression to hold a single bottle such holders may be made as indicated in Fig. 6 and provided with a series of concavities or seats, so that a number of flower-holders may be sent at one time, it being obvious that when such form of holders is used a box is made of a width suitable to receive the same.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the advantages of my invention will be readily apparent. It will be observed that the same is very simple and economical, and the parts are so arranged that cut flowers can be readily transmitted by mail or express without danger of losing their fragrance or freshness.

While I have shown my improvement especially adapted for use as a cut-flower carrier, it is obvious that plants or slips may be shipped in the same way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A flower-carrier, comprising a main receptacle, a liquid-holding vessel adapted to hold out flowers, and adjustable holders or guards fitted in a box and arranged to engage the said vessel and holding it in a fixed position within the box, substantially as shown and described.

2. A flowercarrier, comprising a liquidholding vessel adapted to receive the stems of flowers and having a paraflin or analogous stopper which surrounds the stems of the flowers substantially as shown and described.

3. A flower-carrier, comprising a main receptacle, a liquid-holding vessel held therein adapted to receive the stems of the flowers, said vessel having a neck provided with a paraffin or analogous stopper, the body of the main receptacle having groovesin line with the base of the neck of the vessel, a holder or guards detachably held in such grooves having a concave seat to engage the neck of the vessel at a point just above the bulge or body of the bottle or vessel, designated as the base of the neck, and a lid for covering the box and keeping the holders more securely in place, substantially as shown and described.

CARRIE H. LEEDY.

Witnesses:

O. T. PRICE, ED. RUMLEY. 

